Geometrical instruments – Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media – Magnetic field responsive
Patent
1984-06-20
1986-10-14
Little, Willis
Geometrical instruments
Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media
Magnetic field responsive
33356, 116DIG43, G01C 1702
Patent
active
046164235
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an easy to read compass and a method of navigating a sailing dinghy.
BACKGROUND ART
The crew of a sailing dinghy normally have considerable difficulty in reading a tactical compass while sailing. This is because the compass is generally mounted centrally within the dinghy yet the crew are on the side of the dinghy and leaning outwardly, or may be suspended by a trapeze, to balance the dinghy and prevent it from capsizing. Under these circumstances a traditional compass marked with numbers or letters or both is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to read.
The crew of a sailing dinghy often must be preoccupied with positioning themselves so as to keep the dinghy upright so that a centrally mounted compass is simply visibly inaccessible. Even if the compass is mounted on the gunwhales of the dinghy, an outwardly leaning crew may not be able to read the numbers or letters on a compass card. These problems are particularly acute in single handed sailing craft such as Laser class dinghys or sail boards where the single crew has both his hands occupied in controlling the sheets and tiller and is often required to position himself well away from a compass.
Further, certain calculations require to be made during a sailing race, using a traditional compass. For example, determining the favoured end of the starting line, detecting wind shifts and calculating headings to the marks all require that the crew exercise mental arithmetic skills. The physical demands of dinghy sailing are such that it is extremely difficult to exercise the arithmetic skills needed to make these calculations. Again, these problems are particularly acute for single handed sailors in for example Laser class dinghys or sail boards.
Compasses having marked tacking angles on adjustable peripheral bezels have been used, however they still require the user to remember numbers and discern whether the numbers are increasing or decreasing as the compass swings, thus allowing the user to know if he is "lifting" or "knocking" on a particular tack.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a compass which allows for ease of reading in a sailing dinghy and which also obviates the need for mental arithmetic in making the necessary calculations during a sailing race.
The invention provides a compass comprising a moveable compass card, said compass card being marked into quadrants, each quadrant being subdivided into a plurality of differently coloured equal sectors comprising a colour sequence said sequence being repeated in each quadrant.
The preferred method of reading the compass card is from above but this does not exclude any arrangement whereby the compass card can be read on edge or from below.
It is also preferred that the coloured sectors are marked at 10 degree intervals in an annulus around the circumference of the compass card.
Preferably the quadrants on the compass card are differently coloured and located separately from the coloured sectors in another annulus closer to the centre of the compass card.
It is also preferred that a plurality of coloured lubber lines are marked on the compass for ease of reading.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
By way of example only, the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a compass according to the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a method of navigating an olympic course using the present invention.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a compass (10) compass card (11) mounted pivotally about substantially its centre point (12) in a non-magnetic housing (13) whereon a plurality of lubber lines (14)(15)(16)(17)(18) are marked. The compass (10) is mounted in a sailing craft with the lubber line (14), the "keel line" substantially parallel to the centreline of the sailing craft. The outer annulus (19) is divided into a plurality of coloured equal sectors. The colour sequence (21) within a quadrant is repeated in each of th
REFERENCES:
patent: 86694 (1835-03-01), Ball
patent: 1720964 (1929-07-01), Metcalf
patent: 3824947 (1974-07-01), Honkaranta et al.
patent: 3871108 (1975-03-01), Beaudout
patent: 4154190 (1979-05-01), Utgoff
J. & K. Shephard Design Pty Limited
Little Willis
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